Nutrition
-
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common cause of blindness. Although an association between hypovitaminosis D and type 1 diabetes is known, the association between vitamin D (VD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its complications such as DR has been unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the status of VD in T2D patients with and without DR. ⋯ Results from this study suggest a possible association between VDD and T2D, but not specifically with DR. Further investigations are warranted.
-
Antibiotic abuse is rampant in India, such that one may expect to see an increase of Clostridium difficile infections (CDI). However, we found that the incidence of CDI in India (1.67%) is no different from that reported in USA (1.6%) using similar techniques of detection (polymerase chain reaction test). We offer a possible explanation for this paradox. It is likely that a diet rich in fiber, yogurt, and possibly turmeric may have a protective role in decreasing the incidence of CDIs in India.
-
The aim of this study was to assess the significance and degree of correlation between the intake of fish oil, magnesium (Mg), and zinc (Zn) and metabolic parameters. ⋯ Intake of fish oil, Mg, and Zn was associated with some metabolic parameters. Abundant intake of fish oil including ω-3 PUFAs and Zn can exert antiarteriosclerotic effects through increasing serum levels of HDL-C. ω-3 PUFAs can reduce liver inflammation and Zn can reduce SBP in women.
-
Supplementation with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), recently has become popular for the amelioration of depression; however the molecular mechanism of DHA action remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism underlying the antidepressant effect of DHA by evaluating Gsα localization in lipid raft and the activity of adenylate cyclase in an in vitro glioma cell model. ⋯ The results of this study suggest that DHA may exert its antidepressant effect by translocating Gsα from lipid raft and potentiating the activity of adenylate cyclase. Importantly, the reduced Gsα in lipid raft by DHA is independent of disruption of lipid raft. Overall, the study provides partial preclinical evidence supporting a safe and effective therapy using DHA for depression.
-
Obesity is a chronic disease associated with an inflammatory process in which cytokines play an important role. Probiotic microorganisms have been associated with modulation of the host immune system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus casei CRL 431 on the cytokine response in a model of mice under high-fat diet (HFD) conditions. ⋯ The administration of probiotic L. casei CRL 431 exerted an anti-inflammatory response in mice fed an HFD, evidenced mainly by decreasing proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Probiotic administration also was associated with fewer immune-infiltrating cells in the liver of mice that received the HFD and decreased secretion of MCP-1 by the adipocytes. This last observation could be associated with less macrophage accumulation in the adipose tissues, which is characteristic in the obese host and contributes to maintaining the inflammatory response in this organ. The results obtained show an anti-inflammatory effect of L. casei CRL 431 when it is administered as a supplement of the HFD in a mouse model.